New View of Unborn Babies with MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

UK Scientists have recently demonstrated a new type of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) device, which is able to show doctors and expecting parents intimate details about their babies. Reported by BBC news, the instrument can create scans of the little one’s brain that helps healthcare experts to assess his or her medical condition. The fresh brain study is being conducted by London’s Hammersmith Hospital, working with the Medical Research Council of the UK.

With this new technology, potential malformations, growth problems or injuries are few of the large array of conditions that the scans can reveal. The ability to find out if something is wrong with the baby can help medics either fix the problem, or know what to expect once the child is born into the world. Certain conditions such as cerebral palsy and sometimes autism can be diagnosed, and maybe even treated while the child is still in its mother’s womb. The British hospital is the first in the world to provide the high-resolution MRI capabilities.